Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval of a proposed discretionary discount scheme to provide help to those businesses facing increases in their bills as a result of the revaluation of the rateable value which came into effect from 1 April 2017.  In view of the numbers of ratepayers who will be entitled to relief, this report also seeks to authorise the Chief Finance Officer to implement the scheme so that officers can award these discretionary reliefs which satisfy the set criteria detailed in the report.

RESOLVED:

17.1 The discretionary discount scheme (Revaluation Support) detailed in Appendix 1 of this report be approved pursuant to the Council’s powers under

section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;

17.2 The scheme be agreed for this financial year only, i.e., from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. A further report will be presented to Cabinet in 2018 detailing the proposed schemes for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 once actual scheme take up and cost is known for 2017/18 and whether or not funding allocations for each year can be moved from one year to another;

17.3 That the two schemes announced in the March budget (Support for Pubs and Supporting Small Businesses) and detailed in sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the Cabinet report be approved pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988; and

17.4 The Chief Finance Officer be authorised to implement the three schemes

as detailed in Appendix 1 and sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the Cabinet report so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be awarded in compliance with the scheme criteria.

Councillor Butt invited Dulcie Joseph, Chair of the Harlesden Businesses Association, to address Cabinet. Ms Joseph criticised the revaluation of business rates and how it had adversely affected businesses in Harlesden. She requested that Cabinet consider all shops on Craven Park for reduced business rates as part of a discretionary discount scheme. She thanked the Leader and senior officers for having visited Harlesden to discuss the issue.

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of the Council, thanked Ms Joseph for her representation. She emphasised that the Council wanted to support all small businesses in the borough and that steps were being taken to achieve this. She referenced the recent introduction of Town Centre Managers and said that it was hoped this would assist in the support provided to businesses. She gave an overview of the report which detailed the Council’s discretionary discount scheme, designed to provide help to business who faced bill increases as a result of the rates revaluation. She encouraged any business who met the eligibility criteria to apply.

Councillor Tatler added that an increase in business rates had been caused by actions from central Government. She mentioned that Harlesden was an area with increased potential for businesses and that support to Harlesden would be included in the Regeneration, Growth, Employment and Skills portfolio. She also thanked Councillor Thomas (Harlesden Ward) for this attendance alongside Ms Joseph and for his continued work to improve the area.

RESOLVED that:

7.1       The discretionary discount scheme (Revaluation Support) detailed in Appendix 1 of this report be approved pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;

7.2       The scheme be agreed for this financial year only, i.e., from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. A further report will be presented to Cabinet in 2018 detailing the proposed schemes for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 once actual scheme take up and cost is known for 2017/18 and whether or not funding allocations for each year can be moved from one year to another;

7.3       That the two schemes announced in the March budget (Support for Pubs and Supporting Small Businesses) and detailed in sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the Cabinet report be approved pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988; and

7.4       The Chief Finance Officer be authorised to implement the three schemes

as detailed in Appendix 1 and sections 4.0 – 5.3 of the Cabinet report so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be awarded in compliance with the scheme criteria.